


Back of Sins and Hope

by royaigarbage



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Pre Canon, Royai - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 02:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17194736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/royaigarbage/pseuds/royaigarbage
Summary: Her biggest burden.Her father’s biggest accomplishment.His future.





	Back of Sins and Hope

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for 2018 FMA secret santa on Tumblr :)

She sucked in a deep breath when she asked, after standing at the grave of her late father for an unusually long time, "Can I trust you, Roy? With my father's research?"

He looked down at her with a concerned glance, but she didn't hesitate. She didn't stutter. She didn't bat an eye, because she trusted him, so much so that the question didn't even need to be asked. 

***

Roy silently followed Riza up the stairs of the house he had inhabited for the past three years of his alchemy training, nearing the room her father's notes were stored in. His stomach flipped and churned in anticipation. This is what he had studied all these years for. In his mind, he thought of late nights with Riza, decoding whatever message her father had written. He thought of them being able to bond over something so secret, so sacred, so special.

Though his thoughts were abruptly cut off when they reached the attic and Riza shut the blinds, leaving only a small stream of light in the room. He heard her breathing increase as she walked back near him and his face fell, from peaceful features to a look more worried and concerned for her. He opened his mouth to ask if she was okay, but before he could speak, she did.

"Here," she muttered softly with defeat stricken eyes, before turning around, unbuttoning her black blouse and letting it fall to the floor. 

"Here's my father's research."

It took a second to process what he was seeing in front of him, but soon enough, Roy's throat tightened and he let out a pained exhale.

"What the hell did that man do to you?" he spat out, feeling something that could only be described as pure rage and sorrow.

"Well, you can probably answer that on your own huh?" she laughed weakly, eyes still on the floor. Her arms stayed on her chest, shielding out as much indecency as she could.

She looked behind her when she felt something cover her up. Roy had wrapped his jacket around her frail shoulders, and shamefully, she finally turned around and looked at him for less than a second before silent tears began to stream down her face.

"I'm so sorry. You don't deserve this. You never did. You deserved a father who gave a shit. You deserved the world and you end up like this. Equivalent exchange my ass." he scoffs.

"I know it's hideous. I mean, you can't exactly see me as innocent anymore, but I didn't ask for it. But I understand if don't want to look at it again."

He looks at her with sad eyes, but underlying the somberness, was a burning, kindled, passionate flame.

"Look at me Riza," he said, "I could never see anything about you as hideous. You didn't ask for him to do this, and even if you did, I could never see you as anything less than perfect. I hate him for that he did, and I hope he rots in that grave. But you, you're alive, and you're with me. Do you seriously think that after all this time I would just abandon you because of a burden your father placed on you?"

 

To his surprise, instead of responding, she grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him. He didn't hesitate to hold her closer and gently follow her movements. They are gentle, yet hungry, searching for something to hold on to in the moment of despair.

He pulls away from her lips, but continues to hold her while she cries, and for a moment, he does too.

"I truly do love you Riza... but you already know that."

She only nods into his shoulder, and she doesn't even need to say it back for him to know she loves him with the same fiery passion he does.

"When do you want to start decoding it?" Riza says softly, facing him once again.

"Maybe tomorrow, I don't think either of us are ready for a study session right now, but if it's okay with you, could I see it again?"

She hesitates, looking visibly self conscious, but she trusts him, so she nods her head. The jacket falls and her back is exposed to him once more. Roy reaches his hand out and traces the intricate patterns and codes intimately marred on the back of the alchemists daughter. 

His fingers are delicate, and she feels his touch leave a trail of fire in its wake. And though he isn't deciphering a code, in a sense, he's deciphering her. He lets both of his hands lightly grasp her arms, then he leans his head down and lightly kisses her left shoulder blade. 

And against his original plan, and although he can't help it, he reads the first two words array.

Greetings, Flame.


End file.
